Targeted Muscles: Chest, Upper Back, Arms, Shoulders

Equipment: Barbell or Bench

No of Reps: 12-15 per Set

Strong upper-body is a dream of all fitness lovers and everyone wants to achieve this goal. For a decent and humble personality, you must have to shape your upper-body perfectly. It not only builds endurance but also regulate the oxygen levels in the body. However, Bench press is one of the integral upper-body workouts that offers positive results for overall health. In this article, we will come to discuss this workout briefly and consider some of the alternatives to bench press.

Bench Press

It promises development in the upper-body and brings best possible results for your body shaping. Not only it targets your chest but it also contributes to build shoulders and triceps as well. you can perform different bench press variations according to your fitness goals. For athletes like hockey players or footballers, this exercise proves to be honey as it builds endurance in the chest.

As it works for different muscle group at the same time, so you can name it a compound exercise. Throughout the movement, you have to engage chest muscles and don’t put pressure on the abs. you must carry this workout properly otherwise it may result in an injury.

Benefits of Bench Press

There are multiple benefits of performing upper-body workouts. Similarly, people considering bench press the best one for them will gain some core benefits. Some of the highlighted benefits of this workout are:

Effectiveness for Stronger Bones: Weighted exercise just like bench press is beneficial for strong bones. It will not work for your muscle strength but also generates power in the bones.

Improved Muscle Mass: Bench press workout is for toning of different muscle groups which means it will increase the muscle mass. You can carry day-to-day activities quiet easily and conveniently.

Body Structuring: A perfect body shape is a sign of your best fitness approach. Bench press will not disappoint you in this matter and delivers high standard of body composition.

Approach for Heavy Workouts: If you are dreaming of deadlifts and other weightlifting exercises, then bench press is an ideal initial choice. It is the first step of developing strength in the core and then make yourself ready for weighted exercises.

Overall, bench press has loads of benefits for you and adding this to your routine will surely blast muscles. You can attain whatever you are targeting and make yourself attractive for others.

How to Perform

Before practicing any exercise, you must have some knowledge about its proper form and way. In this brief part, we will discuss how you can carry this exercise perfectly:

• Lie straight on the bench with a strong feet position on the surface. Make sure to plant the feet strongly in order to produce power.
• Ensure to make a neutral spine position throughout the movement. This will keep your back tight and causes no pain in the lower back.
• Hold the bar with strong grip and don’t grip with narrow/wide angles. Griping the bar will actually mean to focus the right muscles.
• Now lift the barbell upward with a chest directed outward and don’t stretch it.
• Breathe in and lower the weight down until it makes a connection with your chest.
• Now repeat the movement for the said number of repetitions. You can stop performing if it causes any serious pain in the muscles.

Alternatives to Bench Press

Performing similar kind of movements every time may cause pain in the joints. Therefore, you must look for some alternatives to bench press that may give the same result without any injury. Moreover, some exercises are isolated as well so if you want to target certain muscles, then you must consider the workouts as follows:

1. Cable Crossover

Cable Crossover is one of the most effective and supportive upper-body workouts that brings flexibility to the body. This machine-based workout requires cable machine to carry and work for the core muscles. For better posturing and positive results, make sure to perform it with keen attention and proper technique.

Start with low weighs and when you become habitual of it, try to go with heavy ones. However, this workout is helpful for the development of lats and shoulders as well.

2. Floor Press

Floor press can be the best alternatives to bench press as slight difference in performance can be seen. Instead of using bench, you can carry this exercise on floor and use dumbbells. Make sure to contract the chest muscles and keep your chest up all the time.

Extend the arms fully but don’t go so down that it shifts the weight on the elbows. Moreover, while bringing the weight up, ensure to keep your eyes in a straight angle. You must train chest and arm muscles in this movement by keeping the neutral spine.

3. Pushups

It is one of the best upper-body workouts that you can perform in place of bench press. Through your own body weight, you are training your core muscles and most probably without any machineries. This easy to perform exercise can be carried at home or parks as per desire.

While pushing yourself up, contract the chest muscles and don’t shift weight on the arms/wrist. It basically trains your arm muscles as well and generate cuts in the biceps for proper shaping.

Must Read: 5 Incredible Alternatives to Leg Raises

4. Dumbbell Fly

One of the most beneficial workouts for chest is dumbbell fly that particularly focuses on upper chest. All you need is to have strong grip and use a bench to perform it. Start with low weight and don’t extend the arms too much.

Make sure to have a heighted bench and lie straight on it. Hold the dumbbells firmly and swing them towards upper side. make a deeper connection between the chest line with the dumbbell point of joining. Just keep both the dumbbell parallel to the chest and contract your chest.

5. Incline Fly

It is very similar to Dumbbell Fly in positioning yourself but the angle is slightly different. Instead of keeping the bench straight you must perform it with incline angle and swing the dumbbells. Similarly, make a connection of both the dumbbells at the peak position.

With different angle, you will also focus on other muscles except for chest. Just keep your back in a neutral position and don’t stretch the elbows to let them bear the weight. If you are tired of straight bench exercises like bench press or dumbbell fly, then try this one for the similar results.

6. Close Grip Becnh Press

If you want to increase the intensity of conventional bench press, then give a try to this workout. Instead of gripping the bar with normal width, you are grasping the barbell with a closer grip. This will target different muscles but make sure to position yourself properly.

Make use of the arm and chest muscles to lift the weight up. Don’t put pressure on the wrist otherwise it can cause serious damage. Moreover, try to start with low weight and focus on your best to deliver the utmost efforts.

Bottom Lines

No one is denying the fact that bench press is a valuable workout for chest and other upper-body muscles. But driving the same strength from same muscles may cause those muscles to lose their stamina. Therefore, one must find alternatives to bench press that targets the same muscles but the angle of performance must be different. Give a try to above-mentioned exercises and keep in touch with us.